Game charting device



GAME CHARTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 14,1941 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Joseph HJWcP/nee .4 TTORNEYJ' June 15, 1943- .1. A. M PHEE GAME CHARTINGDEVICE Filed NOV. 14, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v IN V.EN TOR.

Jos epb H. McPh e e A TTORNEYS.

June 15, 1943. J. MQPHEE GAME OHARTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledNov. 14, 1941ld/IIIII!I/(II(IlIIIIIII/I/IIllII/IIllIIlII/lIIIIII/IIIIIIIlrI/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII NVENTOR. Jos ephAMcPhee ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME CHARTING DEVICEJoseph A. McPhee, Pittsbur'gfca'iif.

Appiication November 14, 1941, Serial No. 419,153

13 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a manually actuated chartingdevice, and in particular the invention is directed to a device forcharting the consecutive plays of an athletic contest, such as-afootball game.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a charting devicefor the purpose described which is manually operative to record, insymbolic symmetrical order, and in different colors to represent thedifferent terns, the consecutive plays of a football game, the yardageof the play, and the position of the latter lengthwise of the playingfield; the recordation being made by a stylus upon a replaceable sheetmounted on the device and having its face imprinted to represent afootball field and including "the yard lines thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a charting device as abovewhich includes a manually depressible carriage mounted for movementlengthwise of the device and including a stylus assembly overhanging thereplaceable sheet upon which the recordation is made; there being meansto automatically move the carriage 'supported stylus assembly apredetermined distance transversely of the sheet when the marking of oneplay has been completed and the operator releases the carriage which isdepressed during the marking of a play.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly e'iiective for the purposefor which it is designed. These objects I accomplish by means of suchstructure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by aperusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the ratchet and pawlmechanism which moves the stylus assembly on the carriage arms; suchratchet and pawl assembly'bein'g in inoperative position.

Figure 5 is a similar View but showing the ratchet and pawl mechanism inoperative position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section showing thestylus assembly in one operative position but clear of the chart sheet.

Figure 7 is a similar view but showing the stylus in its other positionand in engagement with the chartsheet.

Figure 8 is a cross-section on line 8-28 of Fig. 6.

Referring now more particularly 'to the :characters of reference on thedrawings, the device comprises a rectangular base 1 :having flangedsupporting legs 2 along opposite longitudinal edges. Along oppositesides of base 'I and atone end thereof, there are hold-down and locatingmembers 3 for a plurality of chart sheets '4 upon the upper face of eachof which is imprinted the outline 5 of a playing afield including thetransverse parallel yard lines t which are numbered, as at 1; along onelongitudinal edge ofthe chart sheet.

' An upstanding rail .-8,iwhich i of substantially T-shape in crosssection, :is mounted in fixed relat-ion with one of the flange supportedlegs 2 and extends in spaced relation from and along :one side of base Ifrom end to end thereof; the "top of rail 8 being disposed in ahorizontal :plane some distance above the chart sheet supporting Acarriagezassembly is mounted on the 'rail '8 tor-movement therealongmanually, such carri'age assembly comprising a carriage .head -.9

"through which the head .H 'ofthe rail :8 projects in slidable relation.Inturned flanges ill on the carriage head engage beneath the rail headon opposite sides and prevent escape of such head irom the :rail. Thedepth of the carriage head between the top thereof and the flanges I'llis such, as clearly shown in Fig. .2, as to permit of limited verticalmovement of said carriage rhea-d relative to the head of the frail.Elliptical vleaf springs H which extend lengthwise of the rail aredisposed within the head :9 in itransv'ersely spaced relation; beingsecured to the top of said head by attachment elements l2. and riding inparallel channels l3inlthe top of the rail head. -As will be obvious,these :lea'f springs normally maintain the head 19 in. elevated positionrelative tothe railrhead ll.

The top of housing '9 is formed with a rectangular opening or window in.which is secured a magnifying lens TM; this lens having a central crosshair 15 which reads on lines and numerals indicated generally at :fli,marked. on top of the rail head and which correspond to .and. are inalinement transversely the device with the lines I and numerals. .1 ofthe chartsheets when thelatterare inplaceron basal;

' The carriage i-assemb'ly tofwhich carriage head :9 forms apartincludes a pair roi parallel :horizontal arms [1 which project.frohithe'inne'r side of head 9 transversely across the base 1overhanging the chart sheets, these arms I I being spaced apart somewhatlengthwise of the base. The horizontal plan in which said arms I! isdisposed is such that the arms remain in clearance relation to the chartsheet whether the head 9 is in normally elevated or manually depressedposition.

A slide block 18 is mounted in connection with and extends between thehorizontal arms [1; the block frictionally engaging the armssufliciently to prevent accidental movement of said block relative tothe arms. Between said arms the slide block is formed with a slot l9elongated in a direction parallel to said arms. A stylus assembly ismounted in connection with the slide block [8 and comprises thefollowing:

A mainly circular or disc-like body 20 of substantial thickness isdisposed vertical with the lower portion thereof projecting into slotl9, such body being journaled between upstanding ears 2| on oppositesides of the body by means of adjustable pivot bolts 22. It will thus beseen that the body 29, having its axis extending horizontally andlengthwise of the device, mayrock in a transverse plane relative to thechart sheet 4. On opposite sides of its axis the body 20 is formed withparallel and substantially vertical bores 23, each having a stylus. 24projecting therethrough to a termination some distance therebelow, butin a plane normally above the plane of the chart sheets. Each stylus 24is spring urged in a downward'direction by a compression spring 25 whichengages between a head 26 secured in the upper end of the bore and asplit sleeve 21 engaging the stylus within said bore. Each stylus ispreferably a small circular pencil or the like to which the split sleeveis frictionally applied. The styli are of different colors, each. colorrepresenting a team whose plays areto be recorded On the chart sheet. Anoperating handle 28 is mounted on body 20 radially thereof and is usedto swing such body about its pivot to bring either one or the-other ofth styli into contact with the chart sheet; each'stylus, when it isswung to position for chart. sheet engagement, projectingat its lowerend below the bottom of the slide block I8, whereby when the entirecarriage is depressed the stylus'point engages the chart sheet formarking thereon. The point of each stylus is disposed transverselyof thedevice in the same plane as the cross hair [5 in magnifying lens M oncarriage head 9. The body 20 is held in either operative position bymeans of spring fingers 29 which engage corresponding notches 30 in theperiphery of such body.

A flexible cord 3| extends from the side of slide block [8 adjacent thecarriage head in the direction of the latter, passing over adirectionchanging pulley 32 immediately adjacent said carriage head andthence extending downward and being wound about and dead-ended on aspool 33 journaled between ears 34 which depend from the adjacent fiangeIll of said carriage head. With rotation of spool 33 in one direction,it will be seen that the slide block I8, together with the stylusassembly supported thereon, will slide along arms I! toward the carriagehead; this movement being imparted step by step in the following manner:1

A ratchet wheel 35 is fixed with spool 33 and moves longitudinally ofthe device with corresponding movement of the carriage along the rail 8.A horizontal blade-like pawl 36 is mount? ed between ears 3'! upstandingfrom the base l adjacent the ends of the latter and at the edge adjacentrail 8; this full length blade-like pawl cooperating with ratchet wheel35 regardless of the position of the carriage on the rail 8. The pawl 36is urged into engagement with the ratchet by means of a spring finger38. The teeth of the ratchet wheel 35 face upwardly on the side adjacentthe pawl and the pawl extends at a downward slope from its axi tocooperate with said teeth. A pawl release lever 39 is pivoted on thecarriage head as at 40 and includes an exposed finger key 4|, thedepressing of which retracts and effects the release of the pawl fromthe ratchet wheel.

Operation In use, the pawl release key 4| is depressed and the slideblock l8, together with supporting stylus assembly, is drawn outwardalong arms H, to a point above the chart sheet adjacent the edge remotefrond-rail 8. The stylus supporting body 20 is then turned so as tobring that stylus 'lnto'working position whose color represents the teamwho is in posssession of the ball.

After the first play in the game, the operator of the charting deviceplaces one hand'on the carriage head 9 and, with the cross-hair l5 registering with the yard line where the play began, depresses the entirecarriage assembly until the point of such stylus comes in contact withthe chart sheet. Then the carriage assembly is moved in the direction ofthe play to the point of determination of the latter, making a straightline L representing the play and in the color representing thecorresponding team.

With the play thus marked, the operator permits the carriage to raiseunder the influence of leaf springs I I and upon upward movement of thecarriage the pawl 36 engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel 35, rotatingthe latter a distance equal to the extent of such tooth. This rotatesthe spool 33 and winds the cord 3| thereonto to a certain extent, whichin turn causes the slide block, together with the stylus assembly, to bemoved transversely of the chart sheet a short distance. As the chartingof each play requires the depression and subsequent release and upwardmovement of the carriage head the stylus assembly and slide block l8,under the influence of the ratchet and pawl mechanism, move transverselyof the chart sheet toward the carriage head. As a result, each play ischarted on the sheet in transversely spaced relation to the linerepresenting the preceding play, as is clearly shown by the play linesindicated in Fig. 1.

When the ball changes hands and the play begins by the opposing team,the stylus body 20 is'of course rotated to bring the opposite anddifierently colored stylus into operative position, whereupon the playsof such other team are charted in a different color.

After a game has been completely charted, the chart sheet 4 is removedand maybe kept as a record sheet, a new sheet being used for the nextgame to be charted; the slide block [3 being returned to its initial orstarting position before recording on such new sheet begins.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A charting device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, an armoverhanging the base from one'edge, a stylus mounted on the arm formovement therealong, means mounting the arm for back and forthhorizontal movement between oppositeedges of the sheet and for verticalmovement between a normally up. and a lowered position, the stylusengaging the sheet only when the arm is lowered, and means to, impartstep by step movement of the stylus along the arm;

2. A charting device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, an armoverhanging the base from one edge, a stylus mounted on the arm formovement therealong, means mounting the arm for back and forthhorizontal movement between opposite edges of the sheet and for verticalmovement between a normally up and a lowered position, the stylusengaging the sheet only when the arm is lowered, and means actuated bysaid vertical movement of the arm in one direction to impartpredetermined movement to the stylus along the arm with each suchvertical movement.

3. A charting device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, an armoverhanging the base from one edge, a stylus mounted on the arm formovement therealong, means mounting the arm for back and forthhorizontal movement between opposite edges of the sheet and for downwardand upward movement between a normally up and a lowered position, thestylus engaging the sheet only when the arm is lowered, and meansactuated by upward movement of the arm to impart predetermined movementto the stylus along the arm.

4. A charting device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, acarriage including an arm overhanging the base transversely, meansmovably mounting the carriage for movement of the arm between oppositeends of the sheet and for limited downward movement from a normally upposition, means yieldably maintaining the carriage in said normalposition, a stylus mounted on the arm for movement therealong, saidstylus engaging the sheet only upon downward movement of the arm, andmeans actuated upon return movement of the arm to impart predeterminedmovement to the stylus therealong.

5. A charting device comprising a base to support a. chart sheet, a railmounted in connection with the base and extending along one sidethereof, a carriage including an arm overhanging the base transversely,means mounting the carriage on the rail for movement therealong andincluding a spring acting on the carriage to yieldably maintain the sameraised a predetermined amount relative to the base, a stylus assemblyslidably mounted on the arm, said stylus engaging the sheet only whenthe carriage is depressed, and means actuated by each depression andreturn movement of the carriage to slide the stylus assembly apredetermined distance along the arm.

6. A device as in claim with a plurality of transverse markings ofpredetermined spacing on the top of the rail, and a magnifying lensmounted on the carriage, said lens having a cross hair adapted to readon said rail markings; the stylus of said assembly and said cross hairbeing alined transversely of the base.

7. 'A charting device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, a railmounted in connection with the base and extending along one sidethereof, a carriage including an arm overhanging the base transversely,means mounting the carriage on the rail for movement therealong andincluding a spring acting on the carriage to Yieldably maintain the sameraised a predetermined amount relative to the base, a stylus assemblyslidably mounted on the arm, said stylus engaging the sheet only whenthe carriage is depressed, a pawl and ratchet wheel mechanismoperatively connected between said carriage and the base, the pawl beingarranged to rotate the ratchet wheel a predetermined extent upon eachdepressionand return movement of the carriage, and means between theratchet wheel and stylus assembly to slide the latter along the arm uponrotation of said wheel.

8. A charting device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, a railmounted in connection with the base and extending along one sidethereof, a carriage including an arm overhanging the base transversely,means mounting the carriage on the rail for movement therealong andincluding a spring acting on the carriage to yieldably maintain the sameraised a predetermined amount relative to the base, a stylus assemblyslidably mounted on the arm, said stylus engaging the sheet only whenthe carriage is depressed, a spool rotatably mounted on the carriage, aflexible element connected at one end with the stylus assembly and atthe other end winding about and being dead ended on the spool, and meansactuated by each depression and return movement of the carriage torotate the spool a predetermined extent and in a direction to wind saidelement thereon whereby to slide the stylus assembly a proportionatedistance on the arm.

9. A charting device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, a railmounted in connection with the base and extending along one sidethereof, a carriage including an arm overhanging the base transversely,means mounting the carriage on the rail for movement therealong andincluding a spring acting on the carriage to yieldably maintain the sameraised a predetermined amount relative to the base, a stylus assemblyslidably mounted on the arm, said stylus engagmg the sheet only when thecarriage is depressed, a spool rotatably mounted on the carriage, aflexible element connected at one end with the stylus assembly and atthe other end winding about and being dead ended on the spool, a ratchetwheel mounted in connection with the spool to rotate the latter, and apawl mounted in connection with the base cooperating with the ratchetwheel, said ratchet wheel and pawl mechanism being operative upon eachdepression and return movement of the carriage to rotate the spool apredetermined extent and in a direction to wind said element thereonwhereby to slide the stylus assembly a proportionate distance on thearm.

10. A device as in claim 9 in which the pawl is of blade-likeconfiguration and extends longitudinally from end to end of the path oftravel of the carriage, and the axis of the ratchet wheel is parallelthereto, whereby said pawl is positioned for engagement with the ratchetwheel regardless of the position of the carriage on the rail.

11. A charting device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, an armoverhanging the sheet from one edge, means mounting the arm for back andforth movement between opposite edges of the sheet, a stylus assemblymounted on the arm for movement therealong, and means to impart step bystep movement of said assembly along the arm; said assembly including apair of stylus elements having different chart marking colors, and meansmounting said pair of elements for manual adjustment to selectivelyposition either stylus, but only one at a time thereof, in position iorchart engagement.

12. A device as in claim 11 in which said last named means comprises aslide block mounted on the arm, a body pivoted on the slide block forlimited rotative movement in a substantially vertical plane; the pair ofstylus elements being mounted on said body in depending spacedrelation.-

13. A :charting'device comprising a base to support a chart sheet, astylus overhanging the base, a support for the stylus, operating meansmounting said support for movement along the base and sheet in onedirection and for independent movement in a direction at right angles tosaid one direction, means acting on the operating means to yieldablyhold the same raised relative to the base so that the stylus then clearsthe sheet, said operating means being adapted to be manually depressedto engage the stylus with the sheet, and means between the base,operating means and stylus support to move the latter a predetermineddistance in said right-angle direction upon upward movement of theoperating means from a depressed position.

JOSEPH A. MCPHEE.

